America's New Bastion in Berlin

[Kellanved]

US diplomats Tuesday will host a topping-off ceremony for their new embassy in central Berlin. A dispute over security precautions caused major delays for what some see as a symbol of German-American friendship.

A sharp-toothed iron fence atop massive concrete slabs currently separates America's representatives from the German people.

Just off Berlin's Unter den Linden boulevard, the US embassy sits in a street that's blocked off for traffic. German police behind rows of concrete cylinders prevent unwanted visitors from getting too close. "No Photography" signs attached to the fence add to the inhospitable atmosphere.



All that will change to a certain extent in the spring of 2008, when American diplomats are expected to move three blocks down the street to the new embassy on Pariser Platz. Home to Berlin's landmark Brandenburg Gate, which became the symbol of reunification, the square draws hordes of tourists, becomes party central on New Year's Eve and serves as the backdrop for major celebrations such as the 2006 soccer World Cup, when millions of fans gathered to cheer their teams.

Making a statement



It's hardly a dream location when it comes to security: The square cannot be completely cordoned off like the nearby street where the British embassy has set up quarters. But soon after German reunification, US officials decided to make a statement by building their embassy on the very spot where US diplomats had once worked before World War II.



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